Bruttium, the Bretti

The Bretti (or Brutti) emerged from the rugged hills of southern Italy in the mid-4th century BC as an insurgent force of escaped slaves and other fugitives rebelling against the Lucanians, who had subjugated the area a generation earlier. Having thrown off the yoke of oppression, the Bretti retained their independence until 280 BC, when they helped the Greek king Pyrrhus of Epirus in his war against the Romans. After defeating Pyrrhus, the Romans invaded Bruttium and occupied most of the country. The Brettii remained pacified throughout the First Punic War (264-241 BC) but were among the first to declare in favor of the Carthaginian general Hannibal against Rome in the Second Punic War (218-201 BC), resulting in their final crushing as a separate people and absorption by Rome.

Bruttium. The Brettii AR Drachm / River god
Attribution: Arslan dies 39/55; HN Italy 1961
Date: 216-214 BC
Obverse: Winged bust of Nike right
Reverse: BPETTIΩN, The River god Aisaros standing facing, crowning himself and holding sceptre, M and serpent to right
Size: 18.63mm
Weight: 4.23 grams


Post any coins of Bruttium or anything that strikes your fancy.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Lovely coin, I love the obverse. Reminds me of my republic.


L. Valerius Flaccus, (108 - 107 B.C.)
AR Denarius
O: Winged and draped bust of Victory right, X below chin.
R: LVALERI / FLACCI (downwards on left), Mars walking left, spear in right, trophy in left over shoulder, apex left, head of grain behind.
Rome
20.0mm
3.89g
SRCV I 183, Sydenham 565, Crawford 306/1, RSC I Valeria 11

 

Here is my Bruttium stater photographed on a piece of Rhodochrosite.

BRUTTIUM, Kaulonia
AR Stater
475-425 B.C. 8.04 grams, 19 - 20 mm
Obv: Apollo naked walking right.
Retrograde KAVA on left,
small stag figure on right.
(sm. stag standing r. facing l.)
Rev: Large stag standing right
Grade: Overall a Fine condition.
Obverse a bit rough with some
details of retrograde letters &
small stag figure lost to antiquity.
The reverse large stag borders on aVF,
well centered & attractive.
Other: Kaulonia was destroyed by Dionysios I of Syracuse in 388 B.C. CNG puts this coin type at ca. 525 - 500 B.C. and Wildwinds puts it ca. 470-440 B.C. Sear #462 puts this coin at 480 B.C. earliest.

 

That's a beautiful coin JBG. Congratulations!

 

Very nice OP coin, and Mat, well spotted for the similarities between your republic and the former


Bruttium, AE26
Brettian league, c. 215-205 BC
Head of Ares left
BPETTIWN, Hera Hoplosmia going right, holding spear and shield, cow's head ? under shield
14.44 gr, 26 mm
Ref : Sear #702v



Bruttium, AE18
Brettian league, c. 215-205 BC
Bust of Nike right
Zeus riding a biga, holding thunderbolt and sceptre
3.6 gr, 18 mm
Ref : Sear #706

Q

 

I really like this coin and appreciate every chance I get to post it!


The Brettii, Bruttium
AE, reduced uncia, 23mm, 8.3g; 3h; BC 211-208
Obv.: Laureate head of Zeus right, thunderbolt behind
Rev.: BPETTIΩN; Warrior advancing right holding spear and shield, at feet, owl flying right

 

I love both the coin and the mineral. I have a real nice piece of Rhordachrosite in my collection.

 

Thats a beauty.

 

Thanks!

 

Now I'm truly jealous!!! No Bretti coins to post

Beautiful examples guys!!!

 

Ah yes, coins of the Bretti - tough buggers to find in decent grades, even when you have plenty of money to spend on them! Absolutely great OP coin!

Here are two that recently incited some rather vigorous bidding, the first of which is countermarked NIKA, second, Zeus hurling thunderbolt...

 

Thank you!

 

Zeus throwing the thunderbolt is such a great image!

 

We're all waiting, TIF...where's your crab hat?

 

Oh goodie, another opportunity to show the Crab Hat!


BRUTTIUM, the Brettii
216-214 BCE
Æ quartuncia, 13.5mm, 2.06 g
Obv: head of Amphitrite left, wearing crab headdress
Rev: crab; torch above, BPET-TIΩN above and below
Ref: Pfeiler p. 33, 4a; Scheu, Bronze 51; HN Italy 1944; SNG ANS 123–4; SNG Lloyd –; McClean 1579
This coin has been sold a few times in recent years. In most catalog pictures it looks green. It is not green; it is brownish.

JBG-- nice pickup!
Mat-- that is one of my favorites among your coins
Collect-- can we see the other side?
Q-- dang, man... I want to visit your collection someday
Jwt-- everything about that coin is fabulous
JA-- I was mighty tempted by the "Zeus hurling thunderbolt"

 

Rhegion, Bruttium Asklepios and Hygieia / Artemis and deer AE Trias
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=188056
You will see many more of these two headed things with the Dioscuri or Apollo and Artemis on the obverse but the beard is the tip off for this one.


I regret posting this ugly sister a couple years ago. It probably drove certain people to spend too much. I once passed a nicer one with great green patina in the stock of Brian Kritt but I was too cheap (big surprise).


The tiny silver with lion scalp is also from Rhegion. It is a hemtartemorion, 466-415 BC, 5mm, 0.1g.

 

Nice => that's a sweet OP-example, JBG (congrats)

*rats* ... Marsha & Mentor are always such tough acts to follow, eh?



BRUTTIUM, Rhegion. AR Litra
Circa 445-435 BC
Diameter: 13 mm
Weight: 0.71 grams
Obverse: Facing lion’s scalp
Reverse: RECI within wreath
Reference: Herzfelder p. 89, B; HN Italy 2485
Other: 3h … VF, toned, some porosity
From the collection of a Southern Pathologist. Ex Antioch Associates
34 (2001), lot 11



... 5th century BC (winners!!)

 

I'd love a coin like the OP someday. And for that matter, many of the other ones posted here. Bruttium had some nice coins!

Here's one of those other jugate heads Doug mentioned.


BRUTTIUM, Rhegion
Circa 215 - 150 BC
AE Triens
11.82g, 27.6mm
SNG München 1673; HN Italy 2550
O: Jugate heads right of Apollo, laureate, and Artemis, wearing stephane; T or phiale behind.
R: PHΓI-NΩN, Tripod, •••• to outer right.

 

Nice big AE coin, Z (cool eye-appeal)

 

Another one from Bruttium, this time Terina.


BRUTTIUM, Terina
AR Drachm
Circa 300 BC
2.17g, 15mm
SNG ANS 865; cf Holloway & Jenkins 116 (obv); 112 (rev); BMC 32
O: TEPINAIWN, Head of the nymph Terina right, triskeles behind.
R: TE monogram before Nike seated left on cippus, holding bird in her hand.
Ex Frank James Collection